Berni, CountFrancis

, a lawyer, philosopher, orator,
and poet, of Ferrara, was born in 1610. After having pursued his studies with great success, and taken his law degrees, in the university of his native city, he was chosen
professor of the belles lettres, then first secretary, and in
that quality was sent to compliment pope InnocentX. on
his election to the papal chair. He lived in considerable
favour with that pope, as well as with AlexanderVII. and
Clement IX. his successors, and the dukes of Mantua,
CharlesI. and II. who conferred upon him the title of
Count. His poetical talents were principally devoted to
the drama and one of his plays “Gli Sforzi del Desiderio,”
represented at Ferrara in 1652, was so successful, that the
archduke Ferdinand Charles, struck with its popularity,
no sooner returned home than he sent for the author and
some architects from Ferrara, to build two theatres for similar representations. Berni was married seven times,
and had, as might be expected, a numerous family, of
whom nine sons and daughters survived him. He died
Oct. 13, 1673. Eleven of his dramas, formerly published
separately, were printed in one volume, at Ferrara, 1666,
12mo. He published also a miscellany of discourses, problems, &c. entitled “Accademia,” Ferrara, 2 vols. 4to,
without date, and reprinted in 1658. Many of his lyric
poems are in the collections. 2

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